Letter #1 from D. Williams, ESN:

April 18, 1996

Janis Hutchinson
PO Box 374
Everett, WA 98206-0374

Dear Janis,

I recently received your letter addressed to all of us who had written to you. In it you stated that, after attending the Portland WCG Ministerial Conference, you become convinced the changes were indeed genuine.

I will agree with you that the doctrinal changes are becoming genuine Orthodox beliefs; however, the main issue that was addressed by all of us was the reason for these changes and the sincerity of the leaders at the very top.

Your letter caused me to feel very abused and threw me into confusion and trauma. It felt like all of us ex-members had been thrown into a big hole and bulldozed over. Did anyone even care when our voices tried to speak out against enormous deceit?

If I was to narrow in on one thing, I would ask, whatever happened to the Biblical qualifications for leaders of a church: "free from the love of money..." and "not double-tongued..." These two alone disqualify those at the top of the WCG to be shepherds over the flock!

As I read over Greg and Tkach Jr's statements in your letter, I could clearly see so much that just didn't add up in the light of what they have been doing and what has been said by Tkach Sr. in past WN's [The Worldwide News] and on videos (not just what has been going on in local congregations). Their smooth-sounding answers can come across as so good to an outsider, but one would have to have been in the WCG for several years to be able to decipher it all. I think many of us Christians just don't want to believe deceit could abound to such a degree in any Christian ministry today. We are much too trusting--to our own chagrin.

The "rumors" the WCG faces today usually turn out to be the "facts" of tomorrow. Let's see in a few years what this "cult-turned-Christian church' becomes. More opulent than ever before? More skilled at deceiving the naïve and gullible? Filled with more worn-out, weary Christians? Only time will tell.

Sincerely in Christ,

D. Williams
Exit & Support Network™

Letter #2:

May 9, 1996

Janis Hutchinson
PO Box 374
Everett, WA 98206-0374

Thank you for responding to my letter of 4-18-96. Your letter had several things I wanted to comment on, and I would have written sooner, but I was sick for a week.

You said you have "always believed it was a corporate move." I was able to read L.'s 15-page letter to you, and perhaps it was from that that you came to understand the WCG had a strategy behind their changes. I think L. made it very clear that was the case, and I'm glad you can see that.

In addition, you also said if the move resulted in a "change for the good," then "that's what counts." In one way, this could be true; e.g., if members finally learn about the true meaning of grace and Christ and aren't abused anymore by controlling, power-hungry ministers. But if we stop and look at the whole picture, we would have many members in--and coming into--a religious organization where it appears that the leaders have lied during the whole period of time they were making these "Christian changes." We know that Christ doesn't work through men that lie; therefore, are they really true Christians? If so, something is wrong with their Christianity. If not, how blessed will the whole church be since they take all their instruction from the top leaders? Therefore, the point doesn't really revolve around whether we can determine whether Tkach Jr. and leaders are lying at present about how repentant they are, or whether they really are instructing the ministers in the "correct ways."

As far as present abuse, you will have to check with L. on whether there is any going on at present. It was revealed to me that there has been a recently received a letter from someone who just exited and documented that there is. I know these are the people you need to hear from, but it has to be their choice to speak up. In the meantime, the WCG leaders can always reply to stories such as this by saying that a lot of the ministers out there still haven't caught on completely to the new, non-abusive, non-controlling way and so are still running their congregations the "wrong way."

And to this I come back with my original statement of why didn't the leaders start with the inside first instead of slipping around corners and going to counter-cult ministries, Christian magazines and ministries, etc. years before? If they truly cared about the members--spiritually and emotionally--would they let them continue to be abused for years while the leaders slowly made the changes in order, as they said, "not to lose any more members than necessary?" Is this the way Christ would have worked? If changes, to be effective in a cult, must be made slowly, what reason do they give for implementing the changes along with throwing in a good dose of blame and guilt? Was that necessary to the members' psychological health?

The only "inside" work the leaders made sure they did first was to start updating booklets and literature after Herbert Armstrong's death, and then to instruct the members to throw out all old literature. That way, ten years later, all those who followed that procedure would have nothing to refer back to and examine if they wanted to verify what the leaders were now saying about HWA, as all would be conveniently destroyed!

When I quoted the words "double-tongued" (I Timothy 3:8), I was referring to the documented evidence that proves the leaders have said one thing to the outside and another to the inside over the past several years. Otherwise, of course, we couldn't just "look into their hearts" and know they are lying.

One important point is that before Tkach Sr. died*, he was adamantly denying the "rumors" that were saying he was going to change the way they observed the Sabbath, whether they could eat unclean meats, and whether they had to tithe.2 All the time he was denying these things, he knew full well he was going to do away with these things--and shortly. Would you call this lying? Have the leaders suddenly decided to now stop this kind of behavior since they've got the message out on the New Covenant teaching? Or do they find it necessary to continue until all changes are firmly in place?

On 4-30-96 and 5-1-96 Tkach Jr. was interviewed on D. James Kennedy's¹ Christian radio program Truths that Transform. Tkach Jr. said that Herbert W. Armstrong was a "very sincere Christian who was dedicated to Christ." Tkach Jr. knows for a certainty this is about as far from the truth as one can get! Much has been published about HWA's motives, plagiarisms, heresies, and sins. His past has been "shouted from the rooftops," and the WCG has never denied it was true. Does Tkach Jr. plead "innocent" of any sort of knowledge about HWA? This would hardly hold up.

Another thought: Imagine what this knowledge about HWA will do to those very few thinking members in the WCG that discover it someday? As they remember Tkach Jr. saying HWA was a "very sincere Christian dedicated to Christ," they will leave the WCG, vowing never to trust any religious organization or minister again!

Furthermore, on the same radio program, Tkach Jr. said, "I don't think he (HWA) took as harsh a view personally towards other Christians. He just overstated things because of his bent for marketing." This is really a twisted statement because HWA printed and verbalized many ugly statements about other Christians. (One more reason for throwing out the old literature.)

So you see, Janis, we just can't go by how these leaders stood up at the Oregon conference and "repented" and apologized." We have to look at their fruit these past few years. Are they behaving as Christ would? And is it OK to keep HWA painted as a "very sincere," dedicated Christian that "didn't quite understand the Bible" when the present leaders fully know otherwise? What would the leaders answer if questioned about this kind of behavior? Would they shrug and say something like: "Well, it served its purpose. It facilitated the changes. Now let's forget about how we did it. Just be glad it's done and get on with our job!" What would the Moonies call this? Heavenly deception????

In the meantime, the WCG is telling the members that they are reaching out with a "healing ministry." I don't think any disfellowshipped members have been invited back. I've heard that a few invitations have gone to those that went into some of the splinter groups. I'm sure the leaders would want to be very careful concerning who they invited back, as too many confronting questions could prove quite embarrassing and create a stir no one wants. As a result, how would they then get rid of that person without disfellowshipping (which they say they aren't doing anymore in order not to be abusive)? Not being able to point out the reality of a situation and to ask any question is what prevails inside controlling, abuse churches. (See The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse, by David Johnson & Jeff VanVonderen.)

Yes, I'm sure the money has been spent and can't be returned to any ex-members. But if they really cared about the damage they did to thousands, they would at the very least send out letters, recommend books, organizations, and professionals that could help, instead of being so busy to launch their "Plain Truth Ministries," and continue to talk of the "plenty of work that has to be done." In short, if they weren't so good at covering up the truth, they would be working with altruistic organizations such as the Exit & Support Network to help the victims inside and out, instead of being so quick to label such as "dissidents," bitter," and "rumormongers."

Even though they have declared that they have "changed," I know I wouldn't want to be back in there! Granted, there are some wonderful people who are members, but they are very dependent on each other as a group (their "family"). They probably will always be like children, looking to Tkach Jr. (or whoever is the leader at the present) to tell them what is correct to believe and what they should do. They will remain "willing slaves" to the organization--a very dangerous position to be in, especially with leaders over you that have a track record for not being completely honest.

You say you are still keeping your eyes and ears open. This will be wise on your part to do so. Meanwhile, I feel there are some of us from the WCG who have strong convictions when it comes to such evils as lying, deceit, and exploitation. We will not be content to lie back and do nothing. For this reason, we will continue to speak up, expose the lies, and proclaim the truth. Would God expect any less of us?

Sincerely in Christ,

D. Williams
Exit & Support Network™

*Joseph Tkach Sr. died on September 22, 1995 of cancer at the age of 68.

Footnotes:

¹ Update: D. James Kennedy died September 5, 2007 at the age of 76. Few are aware that Kennedy was a member of the CNP (Council for National Policy). Much more on the Council for National Policy (founded in 1981), plus a list of members, can be found in this report and in the transcript Let's Focus in on "Focus on the Family." 

² Read excerpts from sermon where Joseph Tkach Jr. also denied changes, calling them "rumors"

Letter #3:

March 6, 1996

Janis Hutchinson
P.O. Box 374
Everett, WA 98206-0374

Dear Janis,

I very much appreciated your reply to my letter. I wanted to write you again as I had some other things that were bearing on my mind in regard to the present changes in the Worldwide Church of God (WCG).

I mentioned in my first letter that I now attend a healthy, grace-filled church, filled with the fruit of the Spirit, yet with no push of any kind on the members. As I read through the WCG's newspaper (The Worldwide News), I am having a hard time being convinced that they are really becoming a "healthy church."

It's true that the members have never known about evangelizing or feeling they each have a ministry, and one might think they now need to be "coached" on how to do this. But why the big rush by the leaders to accomplish this? It seems to me these members need time to heal from their abuse and confusion and to have time to be taught more about how Christ can heal them and how they can personally find rest in Him--not hearing how they have to now perform in new ways to be accepted by Him or the church. I have to ask why they aren't being given this time?                               

Have you ever read the book, The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse? The authors, David Johnson & Jeff VanVonderen, are pastor and counselor of the Church of the Open Door in Crystal, Minn. and have a "Growing in Grace" ministry. I have written them, and they know much about unhealthy churches. I would like to quote you a couple of things from their book:

"In college they called it 'Rush Week.' It was the time when the fraternities and sororities pulled out all the stops to recruit most desirable new students into their house. Jesus confronted false spiritual leaders for this very same thing. They went to great lengths to recruit people into a religion system, instead of to God. Have you ever felt like you were being recruited?" (pg. 162) "Rather than pointing to Jesus, what is really valued (in these unhealthy groups) is how well we perform in church. Eventually, we realize that memorizing and spouting Scripture, witnessing and leading study groups are terribly inadequate sources of life, in and of themselves, leaving us empty and looking for more." (pg. 175)

Another very good book to read is, Damaged Disciples: Casualties of Authoritarian Churches and the Shepherding Movement, by Ron and Vicki Burks. They were caught up in a charismatic, discipling church, which started as a "desire for deeper things of the Spirit." Some quotes from this book are:

"We learned to do what we were told, and we learned well. However, in the process, the chance to feel our own feelings and take our own actions was denied us. So we stopped taking any action. We waited to be told what to do... We were in the movement for over fifteen years and it has taken time and trouble to get out of it and begin to get it out of us." (pg. 15) 

They talk about how it was hard for them to form new Christian relationships, how very difficult to feel comfortable in other churches, and how they were unable to trust others. He said he has seen serious psychological damage caused by these movements.

Now I would like to quote some of the words from a recent Worldwide News:

"We need more workers." "We have much to do." "Build the church up." "Each member should serve." "Each member should minister." "Make disciples." "Recognize and use the gifts." "Every member has a role." "There are already many laborers in the fields. The main problem is, they aren't all laboring!" "We need to expand the role of the members." "Every member doing some work." 

(If you don't have a copy of this WN page, I'll send it to you.) These may sound like normal statements to make to Christians, but to those who are worn out, tired, and wounded, it seems they need rest instead of more work.

Another thing that I notice is, are they concerned about helping people in the congregation that might riot be saved? I see them talking about getting people healed, but at the same time, stirring them up to find their gifts and become a "part of God's Army." And if they do start sharing Christ with outsiders, is their motive in wanting that person to find a personal relationship with Jesus, or to get them into the WCG? Right now, it looks as if it's the later. I'm sure you understand that a healthy church wants to witness in order to bring others to a saving knowledge of Christ, not necessarily to bring them into their church. If they want to attend the church of the one who evangelized them, that is fine, but it should not be the main goal. It certainly is not the main goal of the church I attend.

Are the members going to be able to eventually feel comfortable fellowshipping with any and all Christians from other denominations? Or will they mainly feel comfortable in their own little group? (I know how very difficult this has been for me.) The ministers may have been instructed on how to reach out and heal the members, but do they really understand the psychological trauma that mind control techniques foster on someone? (Experts on mind-manipulating groups would have much to say about this.) And what about the members who decide to leave for one reason or another--perhaps because they discover the group's true history and that they wasted their life in a cult? What are the ministers going to do for them? Hand them a list of books to read on recovering from cults and suggest they go to counseling? I doubt it. Can you see the magnitude of this problem?

I'm sure they can try to work with the ones still in and attempt to heal their past wounds. But how healthy is the control they still exert? The members are so dependent on the group and the leaders to "guide them" and give them "God's understanding in every way.

The person I write to that is still in the WCG doesn't write to me about how wonderful they now feel with the grace of Christ. This person talks in terms of not being under "legalism" anymore and repeats for me exactly what I have seen printed in the Worldwide News. They talk about how they are "looking forward to the future of "the church" and thinks it's "going to be better than ever." I'm sure they [WCG] have them all excited. But the emphasis is still on "the church," and what "the church is going to do." That's the way it was when I was in there. Where is Christ? Are they excited with their new relationship with Him? I felt so different after I exited and realized what a true relationship with Him was all about and what grace really meant. I see none of this in the writings of hers or the WN. I see the same mind set as always. The WCG has always been talking about "having a mission," and going to do "wonderful things," and have "a goal."

I do think that if they were really genuine in their motives for changing the church, they would have first made the changes (albeit slowly) within the church, and then went to the media and told them. Why did they approach the media first? (As far back as 1990) [Tape available from ESN] They also couldn't really have been thinking about not wanting to lose many members when thousands have left and went right back into Herbert Armstrong teachings and legalism. What hope is there for these poor souls? How could God be a part of such a plan?

If they do eventually become some type of Pentecostal or discipling church with a hierarchical form of government and much control, then maybe we will do well to let them go their way. There are many other churches today that are like that. However, I don't know any (besides cults or cultic one.) that have a main man off in another state, interpreting the members' belief system, keeping them looking to him, yet having worldwide congregations all believing identically and calling it "unity." Perhaps I am naïve.

You mentioned to L. that you would like to talk to a present member of the WCG so you could see what is really going on in there. Let me remind you that the ones in there are still under mind control. They don't think critically, they go by what they are being told, and they are very loyal to the church. This is all they have known. Since the leaders are acting excited and happy with the changes, the members feel excited and happy. (The ones that aren't have left.) They especially don't know the difference between a ''healthy'' church and an "unhealthy" church. Neither do they understand controlling or discipling churches. They are very pliable to any direction the church leads them. And they will defend whatever the church is telling them. It is important to understand the effect mind control can have on someone.

I apologize for this lengthy letter; however, I did want to pose the very same questions in your mind that I have had in mine as I watch these changes in the WCG take place. I do believe that if the members could find a close relationship with Christ and a true rest in Him--without their continual emphasis on "the church" (which to them means the WCG)--that that would be the best thing that could happen for their spiritual welfare. But what I continue to hear is the constant push on how they are to get busy and "serve." They've never heard anything else but this. I truly believe the true image of Christ--his character--is being distorted to the members, in spite of all their talk of "change."

Sincerely in Christ,

D. Williams
Exit & Support Network™

Unavailable! Worldwide News – Prior to September 1995 (shows the contradictory and confusing statements made during the changes; comments by ESN)

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